Tips for writing in the moment

I’m yelling it to my virtual internet audience, typing with the excitement of a kid opening their sticker book to the page with the favourite rub-and-smell puffy sticker.

“Read this!”

I copy my favourite opening paragraph of my favourite book into the blog back-end and hope that it will make the impact that I need it to make.

It goes like this.

Will you look at us by the river! The whole restless mob of us on spread blankets in the dreamy briny sunshine skylarking and chiacking about for one day, one clear, clean, sweet day in a good world in the midst of our living. Yachts run before an unfelt gust with bagnecked pelicans riding above them, the city their twitching backdrop, all blocks and points of mirror light down to the water's edge.

Twenty years, they all say, sprawling and drinking. There's ginger beer, staggerjuice and hot flasks of tea. There pasties, a ham, chickenlegs and a basket of oranges, potato salad and dried figs. There are things spilling from jars and bags.

Tim Winton, Cloudstreet

“You see now? You see how Tim Winton paints with his words?” I cry out into the virtual wilderness.

“Big, beautiful, broad brushstrokes that make you stand back and survey the scene, but then, fine details tossed in seemingly carelessly, like garlic-soaked croutons to a salad. Details that make you squint and look closer. Can you taste their picnic? Smell the briny river? I can.”

I wonder if I am losing my audience. I go on.

“I am there watching Tim Winton’s characters from Cloudstreet and desperate to know what will happen next because he has invited me in with his writing style, his choice of techniques and of course that unpinnible Winton flair.”

Hey, if he makes up words then I can too. But this blog is a ‘how-to’. You’re meant to be helping people learn how to write in the moment, Em, so get to the point before they get another ‘bing!’ Facebook notification.

“Tim Winton is doing something that I call writing in the moment,” I type. “And that is what ABC Open is asking you to do for this month and next month, with the theme One Moment, This Year.”

I should probably tell them why I love the theme so much, why I thought it up in the first place - should I admit to that? Don’t want to get hate mail! Might leave it out.

“The theme, whilst challenging, sets you up for success if you can follow some of the tips below. Why?

“Because writing ‘in the moment’ is the most powerful way to draw your readers into the story. Part of the reason we set this theme is to help you practise some of the techniques you need to employ when writing ‘in the moment’, because they will help you with your story-writing in general.

“So what are these techniques?”

I stop typing.

Oh dear. What are they? Geez, this is just what I do, I hope I’m not leading everyone down the garden path. Maybe I should say that?

“Here are some techniques that I use; I am sure there are many more out there so please add your comments at the end.”

Ha! I perform a virtual little ‘pleased as punch’ dust-off-of-hands and continue.

There was a far off 'hurrumph' from a horse, some crickets (or frogs, I have trouble telling them apart), and chirps and tweets from some night birds. A rush of wings overhead, and the slight breeze rustling the leaves in the orchard, and, down in the gully, something unidentifiable.

Don’t bother explaining details about where and when until a bit later, if at all. Ask yourself, do they really need to know these details? If the answer is no then leave it out. If it is yes, then see if you can find a way to weave the details into the moment, or add context to the moment as a flashback. This is done well in both Sebastien’s story and in One High Moment by Meryl Dunton-Rose.

Show us how you felt and what you were thinking.

This is after all a story about you so make sure you are in it. HiMe does this well in her story about returning to her home country as a tourist and ‘defector’.

Oh goodness me! It is 5:00pm and I have written way too much. One thousand words! If anyone reads this far they should get a prize.

6
Comments

Steve Dickinson

thanks for said "tips" once you finally got there ,but as far as i see things concerning writing apart from content it's also a lot about style .If you read some stories from our ancestors in early settlement their description and story telling is riveting (to me ) in its style and vocabulary. I only hope i personally can achieve some high level of story telling such as those of a bygone era. regards Steve

Judy

This would be a great piece to inspire secondary students with - is there some way it can bet sent to the Victorian Assoc'n for Teaching of English or the Education Department?

Fran Foley

Thanks Emily - got to the end never losing interest. Thank you for the great information which I hope will help continue my 'writing' journey, and information such as the above is the 'prize'!
Happy New Year to the ABC OPEN team!

Vicki Mennie

Thanks Emily, I'm delighted that you enjoyed my description of my body entering the ocean. And thank you for such a concise overview using examples on how to make our writing interesting. Merry Christmas xo